Controlling device for electrically-heated tools



July 20, 1926.

J. N. PAGLIARUL CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR ELECTRICALLY HEATED TOOLS Filed Oct. 23, 1924 25 part by the handle of the Patented July 20, 1926.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH N. PAGLIARUL, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

. I CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR ELECTRICALLY-HEATED TOOLS.

Application filed October 23, 1924. Serial No. 745,878.

My invention relates to controlling dev ces for electrically heated flat irons and similar tools, and the general object of the invention is to provide safe and practical means by which the tool will ordinarily be heating only while Within the gras of the user. One of the specific objects 0 the invention is to provide a safety attachment such that it may be applied to the tool without necessitating any change whatever in the design of the tool. In other words, it

i is an object to provide an attachment which may be substituted for the. ordinary attachments without requiring any alterations in the tool itself nor any clamps or other fastening devices. vention is to provide a controlling device which may be connected and disconnected by a mere push or pull, as for example of a plug into or out of a socket. Another object is to provide a controlling device havmg a mere push and pull connection with the tool but so organized that the pressure of the operating lever will be absorbed in tool. Another object is to provide a preheating mechanism by which the tool may be given a preliminary heating so that the operator will not have to hold the tool in hls hand until it is heated to a sufficient temperature to render the tool usable. Still another object is to provide a construction such that the preheating mechanism shall be released as soon as the tool is putto use, that is, is grasped by the user. y

In the form illustrated I have shown a tool in which m attachment employs a special snap switc 1, but the specific form of switch is not my invention but is the subject of an application filed by Charles L. Moyer on the 23rd day of October, 1924, Serial No. 745,377.

I accomplish my objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing. in which-- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a flat iron with my controlling devlce in place.

Figure 2 is a view of the inner side of one of the body elements of the device showing the operating elements therein.

Figure 3 is a similar view of the opposite side of the body.

Another object of the in-.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-.4 Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the switch and part of its operating mechanism.

Like numerals denote like parts through-- out the several views.

p I will describethe invention in connection with an electrically heated flat iron. The iron has a body ,10 which is electrically heated in the ordinary manner, and a handle 12 of ordinary attern. As usual with electrically heatetfflat irons, the iron is provided with a socket 14 within which are the terminals 16 of the resistance heating element located within the body of the iron.

To refer now specifically to my attachment: It includes a body formed of two companion members 18, 19 made of suitable insulating material. The lower ortion 20 of the body constitutes a plug w ich makes a sliding fit withthe socket 14 so that my controlling device is attached or detached solely by a straight push or pull. It will be understood that this socket portion is made to fit into the standard socket of the iron. This characteristic taken in connection with others which I will describe makes it possible to substitute my device for the ordinary non-automatic plug commonly furnished as standard equipment with such irons.- The body has a shoulder 21 which abuts the end of the tool handle 12 with the result that when the lever 54, hereinafter described, is depressed, the body will be thrust against the tool handle, which latter will thus absorb part of the thrust.

The body is provided-- with terminal clips I 22 arranged in two pairs for making electric engagement with the terminal pins 16. One of these clips is connected by a conductor 24 to one of the external supply conductors 26. The other is connected by a conductor 28 to switch jaws 30. A switch blade 32 moves into and out of engagement with the jaws 30. It is pivoted. on a stationary pin 34 and is provided with lugs 36 projecting sidewise from it to be engaged by a lever 38 which is also pivoted upon a pin 34 and is shackled to a rod 39 slidingly mounted in a lug 40 projecting from the side of a stationary bar 42. Said bar is connected by a'conductor 44 to one of the external supply conductors 46.

A spring 48 is interposed between the lug40 and the shacklehead 41 of the rod 39, and this tends to press the rod towards'the pivot pin 34 which tends to tilt the lever 38 to one oblique position or another, depending upon which side the lever happens to be lying at the moment. In other words, the spring 48 tends to hold the lever 38 past center with the result that a sudden movement will be imparted to lever 38 if and when pressure isexerted upon the shacklehead 41 in a di rection crosswise of rod 39. This imparts a snap action to lever 38 and to switch blade 0-1.

This crosswise or transverse pressure is exerted upon the shacklehead 41 by a plunger or push button 50 which is slidingly mounted in the body of the device. This plunger is supported upon acompression spring 52 which is strong enough to normally hold the shacklehead in position to keep the switch blade 32 out o engagement with the switch jaws 30. A hand lever 54 is pivoted to the main body by a pin 56 and projects a considerable distance over the handle 12 of the iron. Consequently the lever 54 will come beneath the hand of the user when the user is grasping the iron to use the same in the ordinary manner. Lever 5i overlies the top of plunger 50, and the result is that when the iron is in the grasp of the user the lever 54; will hold the plunger down in opposition to the resistance of spring 52. This will cause the blade 32 to snap into contact with the switch jaws 30 and establish the electric circuit through the iron. Thus the switch is normally open but is automatically closed by the hand of the user when the iron is grasped.

Referring now to the preheating attachment: A notch 60 is formed in the side of plunger 50 near the upper end. A rod 62 is slidably mounted in the body member 20 at right angles to plunger 50. This has a head 64 by which it may be manipulated. A compression spring 66 surroundsthe rod between the head 64 and the body member 18, and normally holds the rod at the outward limit of its movement. A collar 68 on the rod limits the outward movement. The arts are so proportioned that when thep unger 50 is down so that the switch is closed the notch 60 will come opposite the rod 62 and if the rod is then pressed inward so as to enter notch 60and the plunger 50 is thereupon released, the friction induced by the spring 52 will be sufiicient to hold the rod 62 in acting position, as the spring 66 is comparatively weak. Thus if the operator deliberately depresses the plunger 50 and closes the switch for preheating purposes and thereupon presses the rod 62 inward and then releases plunger 50 the latter will be held in its depressed position and the iron will heat until either the operator pulls out- Ward on the rod 62 or depresses the plunger 50. As the plunger 50 will be depressed automatically when the operator commences to use the iron it will be evident that it will not benecessary for the operator to pay any further attention to the preheating mechanism after he has commenced to use the iron.

The operation of the device has already been described in detail and will be readily understood. My device forms an attachment applicable to any iron without making any alterations in the latter, and hence my invention is applicable to any form of flat iron, the sole requisite being that the plug portion 20 of the insulating body be so formed as to fit the socket of the iron to which the device is to be applied. The operation of the switch is automatic for the current will be turned on automatically when the operator starts to use the iron and will be automatically turned off as soon as the iron is released. As to the preheater, this will maintain the circuit closer or switch in closed position for preheating if desired, but will be automatically released as soon as the iron is grasped by the operator.

It will be noted that in my device not only is the body supported entirely by the socket and the controlling lever supported entirely by the body, but the switching mechanism is also supported entirely by the body. Thus all the controlling mechanism is in my attachment and none of it in the tool. It will also be noted that the shoulder 21 on the body of my device is not really supported by the tool handle but merely makes one-Way contact engagement with it when the controlling lever is under pressure. which relieves the socket of some of the strain that it would otherwise have. This among other things makes it unnecessary to have a specially reinforced socket. The device may be described as quickly detachable because no other manipulation is necessary than a straight-out pull. It has a mere pliw-and-socket connection with the flat iron.

aving thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by .Lettes Patent is 1. A cont-rolling device for electricallyheated toolsprovided with a controlling switch. a push button for operating the switch, said push button having a shoulder, a spring tending to force the push button to oil position, a. controlling lever adjacent to the tool handle for pushing the button, a detent for engaging the shoulder on the push button to hold the latter in on position, a spring for urging the detentto non-acting position, the spring on the button being strong enough to cause the shoulder to retain the detent in acting position against the force of the detent spring.

2. A controlling device for electrically heated tools rovided with a controlling switch, at us button for operating the switch, sai push button having a shoulder, a spring tending to force-the push button to off position, a, eontrollin lever adjacent to the tool handle for pushing the button, a detent movable into and out of engagement with said shoulder to respectively hold the ush button in on position and to release it, and a spring for normally holding the detent in non-acting position to thereby release the push button when the latter is pushed out of engagement with the detent.

In witness whereof, Ihave hereunto subscribed my na e.

JOSEPH N. PAGLIARUL. 

